Page 61 of Architect's Christmas Nanny

“You were brave to come here too,” she said softly after a while. “You have a career in the city, and a reputation.”

“I have savings now too,” he told her. “Investments that mean I don’t need my new firm to take off right away and I don’t have to do the kind of projects I did before. Honestly, I don’t want to travel all the time. And I don’t want an Ivar Eriksson calling me at all hours of the night fretting about columns and buttresses.”

She smiled thoughtfully and nodded.

“I won’t be giving Josie a penthouse lifestyle anymore,” he said, suddenly wondering if that mattered to Jillian. “That’s not the kind of work I’ll be doing now, and anyway, I’d rather live like the people I serve.”

“The cottage is so much nicer than the penthouse,” she told him with a smile. “I think it will be good for you two. Josie wants to be as tight as possible with you now that you’re not traveling anymore, and I think being physically close will help with that.”

Will it be good for us three?

But now he was getting ahead of himself.

Focus,he told himself.It’s just a date.

“Anyway,” he said. “Sure, I was willing to take a big career risk coming here. But for all those years, I didn’t have the nerve to open up personally, to tell you how I felt and take the chance that you would run screaming.”

He could see in her eyes that she understood.

“You taught me that, Jillian,” he went on, his voice deep with emotion. “You teach me every day that it’sworthrisking your heart.”

She smiled up at him with tears in her eyes and hefound himself putting the reins in one hand so he could wrap the other arm around her, holding her close as they drank in the cold, fresh air, and the sight of the beautiful trees.

This feels like everything I could ever want,he thought to himself. Do I dare ask for one more thing?

He knew what Jillian would do.

I’m trying this new thing where I actually just go for what I want…

21

JILLIAN

Jillian perched on a stool at the counter with a mug of peppermint tea in her hands and Moose at her feet, as the Christmas station played on the radio.

It was surreal to be sitting here, watching Brad work to serve her. He had fixed her tea, and then rolled up the shirtsleeves of his flannel, revealing his muscular forearms.

She tried to avoid looking. But just the thought of the dark silky hairs that contrasted with the light tan of his skin had her cheeks burning.

Am I allowed to look at him as much as I want now?

The idea that they might finally belong to each other was almost overwhelming, and she wondered what else was about to change between them.

The truth was that things had been the same for so long, and she had clung to her life as it was so desperately, that it was almost scary to think about any kind of change, even if it was a change she had dreamed of.

“It won’t be long,” he told her as he chopped lettuce on the wooden cutting board.

Her fingers itched to help him, but he had been very clear about the fact that he was going to be cooking for her if he wasn’t allowed to treat her to a special meal out. And Josie was still with her grandparents, probably eating cookies and opening small gifts with her cousins. So they had the house to themselves for now.

Christmas Eve was a big deal for the family, but both Josie and Brad had insisted that their first date couldn’t wait until after the holidays. They planned to join the rest of the family after dinner to sing carols and read the Christmas story.

Brad washed his hands, unbuttoned the top button of his flannel, and ran his hands through his dark, thick hair.

You just can’t look at him, even if you are allowed,she thought to herself as she stared at him helplessly.Your face is going to be red as a lobster.

“I’m going to check for deer,” she told him, gulping as she hopped off her stool.

He chuckled and the sound sent a tingle down her spine.

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